This invention relates to computer memory, and more particularly to a resistive memory device design and method for fabricating a resistive memory device.
Resistive memory is a growing technology due to problems associated with scaling charge-based memory devices. However, the resistance of the resistive memory cell is not necessarily stable. Instability in resistance causes issues such as read errors, especially for multi-level cell operations. For example, phase change material in the phase change memory can be programmed to a crystalline or amorphous phase. The phase change material shows a large resistivity contrast between two phases, which create a room for multi level cell. However, the resistivity of the phase change material in the amorphous phase shows instability due to dependence on instability factors such as temperature change and temporal drift. Instability of the materials' resistivity greatly affects the operations of memory cells.